Weekly Worship: Antipodes & Simple

Price: £5.33 50ml

Stockist: Boots

I am obsessed with bright and radiant skin. My foundations have to have a dewy finish, my makeup can never be matte (expect for lips!) and I am forever stocking up on skincare that promises to brighten my skin. So it's no surprise that the Simple Kind To Skin Illuminating Radiance Cream got my attention when I recently attended a Simple press event.

I have been using the Illuminating Radiance Cream for the last two weeks and, considering its price, I'm very impressed. The cream has a medium to thin consistency which feels lightweight on the skin. It is scentless, colourless and absorbs relatively quickly, leaving skin soft and nourished.

The cream does contain very tiny glitter particles that sit on the skin evenly when it's applied. Some people aren't cool with glitter in skincare - I get it - however these particles are very hard to spot with the naked eye and they don't leave you looking like a glitter ball, I promise! As for illuminating the skin, this cream does an amazing job. My skin looks bright and more youthful once applied and it helps give my foundation added radiance and staying power. It also has a SPF 15 which is a great added extra!

Price: £27.99 / $42.00 30ml

Stockist: feelunique.com / antipodesnature.com

The Antipodes Hosanna H2O Intensive Skin-Plumping Serum is not a new product; for me or the beauty shelves. However it is one of my favourite hydrating serums and I thought it was about time I shared my love for it.

This water-based serum is a real hydrating hero. It absorbs quickly and, unlike other hydrating serums, doesn't leave any stickiness on the skin after application. It instantly hydrates my skin and brings it back to life, so I'm always reaching for it whenever I am sick, hungover or suffering from extreme dehydration. Its ability to instantly hydrate isn't the only thing I love about this serum; it provides some great anti-ageing benefits too. In vitro testing has shown it to stimulate collagen production by up to 72%!

Like all Antipodes products, it contains 100% natural ingredients and is also certified organic. So it's a great f**k you to those who think green beauty products don't pack a punch!

Behind The Brand: PHYTO

Date of Birth: 1969

Founder: Patrick Ales

History: PHYTO (meaning plant in Greek) was created when Patrick Ales, one of Paris’ legendary hair stylists, set out to merge his two passions: hair and plants. Ales saw the huge benefits that botanical ingredients provide, so he set out creating haircare products that were packed full of them! In 1969, he released his first PHYTO products: Huile D’Alès, Phyto 7, Phytodéfrisant, and Phytopolléine.

Alès presented PHYTO to the public, along with the opening of the Patrick Alès Salon in Paris - which is sill open today. Since then, the brand has grown significantly and is now full of products designed specifically for certain hair types and needs. Today, all PHYTO products are developed in French laboratories, and are each clinically tested to ensure the highest levels of performance, tolerance and safety. It is PHYTO'S performance, expertise and innovation that makes it one of the world's most respected haircare brands.

USP: PHYTO is based on the principle that healthy hair begins at the root. The brand is also built on a heritage of craftsmanship and cutting edge scientific advancements; it boasts the highest concentrations of pure plant extracts in today's beauty market. In fact, every product in the range is 95% natural.

Offerings: PHYTO sell every thing you'll ever need to keep your hair and scalp healthy and happy; from shampoos and hair oils, to masks and hair thinning treatments.

Hero Products: Phytopolléine Botanical Scalp Treatment, Phytocyane Revitalizing Serum, Phytovolume Actif and Phytodéfrisant Botanical Straightening Balm.

Availability: PHYTO is available across the globe. If you are based in the US, you can find PHYTO in Sephora, Nordstrom and dermstore.com. If you reside in the UK, PHYTO can be found at Selfridges, John Lewis and lookfantastic.com.

Website: phyto.com

Price Points

Shampoos: Up to £16.50 / $28.00

Conditioners: Up to £16.50 / $28.00

Treatments: Up to £45.50 / $65.00

Styling Products: Up to £22.50 / $30.00

Wednesday Wisdom: Marilyn Monroe

“I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best”

The Tuesday Tip: Coconut Oil & Its Beauty Benefits

Skincare ingredients are important; so important, in fact, that they often play a huge role in our decision to purchase certain beauty products. However there are certain ingredients that are so good, they provide beauty benefits all on their own. For example, oils are great at going solo because they are safe to use and provide a wide range of benefits. Olive oil, macadamia nut oil and argan oil are particular favourites, however this feature is all about coconut oil.

Coconut oil is a nutrient-rich ingredient that has antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties. It is also packed with antioxidants such as vitamin E, phytosterol and phenol and it is unusually rich in short and medium chain fatty acids. These properties enable coconut oil to deeply nourish the skin, as well as repair skin and protect it from environmental damage.

Coconut oil also helps to improve hair health, thanks to its ability to nourish the scalp and treat problems such as dandruff. Cutting to the chase, coconut oil can be used for all kinds of things. I use it for just about anything - from softening my cuticles and removing makeup to cleaning my makeup brushes and shaving my legs! So the tip this Tuesday is simply to invest in coconut oil. It is cheap (around £3.00 for 500ml) and will cover a variety of your beauty needs. If that's not enough to convince you, Gisele Bundchen, Miranda Kerr and Angelina Jolie swear by it...and look at them!

Now, if you don't want to dive on the coconut oil bandwagon just yet, start with some products that contain coconut oil as a main ingredient. My current favourite coconut concoctions are the OGX Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Conditioner 385ml (£6.99 Boots / $7.99 ULTA) and the L'Erbolario Tiarè Crema Fluida Corpo 200ml.

Review: Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque

The Promise: "A gentle yet thorough deep-cleansing treatment that extracts impurities clogging the pores, to smooth and refresh the skin"

The Price: £27.00 / $39.00 60ml

The Stockist: aesop.com / Barneys

The Skin Type: Suitable for all skin-types

The Key Ingredients: Parsley Seed Oil, Rosehip Oil, Kaolin Clay, Lavender and Evening Primrose

The Application: This face mask applies very easily. It has a medium creamy consistency that spreads easily across the skin. Like with many Aesop products, the Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque has a strong scent - mainly of lavender.

The mask is nude in colour when first applied however, as it dries, it turns light and ashy. The mask absorbs into some areas of the face quicker than others, indicating areas of dryness. Once fully absorbed, the face becomes stiff (as expected with any clay mask), however unlike other clay masks this one isn't uncomfortable to wear and doesn't crack or cause any mess. I leave it on for a minimum of 15 minutes, however if my skin is in need of some serious TLC, I may leave it on for an hour.

The mask can be removed easily, which is one of its many great qualities. When I use a muslin cloth, the mask wipes away quickly and cleanly, leaving no residue behind.

The Results: The Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque makes good on its promise. It cleanses the skin deeply without causing a breakout and, when I am suffering from a breakout, this bad boy calms the skin and reduces any swelling. It also cleanses the skin without drying it out or leaving it tight and uncomfortable, which is a huge benefit. Now, although this mask is designed for all skin-types, it is ideal for those with combination or blemish-prone skin.

It also does wonders for my complexion. When the mask is removed, my skin is noticeably brighter and softer. I love it!

The Pro: This mask is the perfect quick fix for treating tired and/or damaged skin

The Con: The scent is a little too powerful for me

PR sample